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skyward-floored · 1 year ago

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Whumptober Day 17: Collar, Touch aversion

I’m not late, I merely ran out of time to upload this last night. I finished it yesterday it’s all good. We’re good. Perfectly fine. (<- girl who hasn’t even started on today’s yet)

Anyway I thought too hard about my theory of Dink getting empowered from Twilight’s injury and uhhhh. Yeah. Here’s this. It’s on the heavier side again.

Read on ao3

Warnings: captivity, implied torture, blood and injury, and discussion of death

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Eight heroes stood outside of a large, dark structure, surrounded by trees that blocked out the sunlight.

The limited light cast the area into what felt like perpetual twilight, grim and dark, and Time looked up at the ruins with a tight feeling in his gut.

“I’ll bet you anything our missing hero is in there,” Legend murmured, and Time nodded, trying not to fidget with discomfort.

Something cold and dark was in the very air around them, something that made Hyrule pale, and Sky hold a little more tightly to his sword. It was dark magic, Time knew, but that only helped solidify to him that something was very wrong here.

They’d landed in the unfamiliar Hyrule a few days ago, all surprised when nobody could identify it. It had been months since they’d last gained another hero, and Time had thought for sure that eight was as large as their group was going to get.

But as they’d traveled around and spoken to people, it became clear there was another hero they hadn’t yet seen.

One who’d apparently been missing for as long as they’d been traveling together.

They had begun to search for him, and followed a sparse trail of clues to a place off the map they’d been given, and as Tine looked up at the dark ruins, he felt a heavy sense of dread settle upon him.

Are you in there, Link?

“You really think he’s here?” Hyrule asked quietly, and Time nodded.

“I do. Making it this far was extremely difficult... I would be shocked if he weren’t.”

“But remember what Rusl said?” Wild spoke up quietly. “The Hero here has been missing for months. What are the odds that we’d find him in the space of barely a week? Just like that?”

“What are the odds that any of us would ever meet in the first place?” Four countered with, and before Warriors could say whatever it was he’d opened his mouth to voice, Four plowed on. “There must be a reason. Just like everything else.”

“And I can feel a pull,” Sky said in a quiet voice. “One I’ve only felt with all of you.”

“Enough chatter, let’s go already,” Wind said impatiently, and they went inside the falling-apart structure, steps echoing off dirty floors.

They paused at the first split path and argued for a moment about whether sticking together or splitting up was best, but before Warriors and Legend could start shouting and alert whatever was here to their presence, Time decided splitting in half was the best way to search quickly. There seemed to be two main sections of the ruins anyway, and the two reluctantly agreed.

“Stay on guard,” Warriors murmured before they split, and they all nodded. You don’t have to tell me twice.

Time ended up with Sky, Wild, and Four in his group, and they trooped quietly through the vine-filled hallways, and down stairwells full of cobwebs and dirt.

The feeling of unease grew more and more heavy the deeper they went, and Time caught Sky clenching at his sword more than once. It was oddly oppressive in here, despite the plants that crept through cracks, and spiders in the corners, like a shadow was cast all over the entire structure.

It just felt... wrong.

“Wait, shh,” Wild said suddenly as they entered a particularly long hallway.

Time stopped walking, and Wild crept forward, his ears pricked. He turned towards a small grate in the floor, and crouched beside it, his face creasing as he listened. Wild motioned them over after a moment, and they all kneeled beside the tiny grate, listening intently.

The faint sound of someone talking echoed up through the floor, and Time strained his ears, trying to make out the words. He couldn’t hear anything though, but with the way Wild’s face was paling, he was fairly certain he could.

“It’s the Shadow,” Wild said after a moment, voice grim as he pressed his ear to the grate. “Something about... power, I think? Power and... enemies. Wait—”

He went quiet again, and as the minutes dragged on, his eyes widened.

“Time... I think he’s talking to the hero.”

Wild suddenly jerked back from the grate, and they all heard the agonized scream that came from below, no less horrible because of how far away it was.

Sky paled, and Time scrambled to his feet, the others right beside him.

“Look for stairs,” Time said in a short voice, and they all ran down the hallway, searching for doors.

It took them a long time to find one that led downwards, and by the time they did, the screams had stopped, along with the talking. There was no sound at all, and Time hoped desperately they weren’t too late.

They cautiously stole down the flight of stairs, moving quickly, but wary of going too fast and alerting the enemy to their presence. They were a long, spiraling set, and some stairs had crumbled, leaving gaping holes they had to sidle around.

The time it took them to go down seemed much too long, and Time guessed they were deep underground now, having gone down several floors. It was almost completely silent, and the dread tightened in his chest.

Let us not be too late, please.

The stairs spat them into a pitch black hall, the sound of water dripping somewhere nearby. They listened for any movement, but none was heard, and Four cautiously pulled out a lantern.

An old dungeon met their eyes, light glinting off of metal bars, largely rusted and bent. Nobody spoke as they stepped quietly down the hallway, and the oppressive stench of dark magic was even heavier. Time spared a thought towards Hyrule as they walked, glad he had gone with the other group.

If I’m feeling this awful, I can only imagine how bad it would be for him.

They reached a partially collapsed wall then, making it difficult to squeeze by, but they all managed, though Time had to pop off a few pieces of armor. The cell at the end of the hallway was only a bit further along, but Time froze, holding a hand out to stop the others.

Eyes were glinting at them from behind the thick bars.

“Hello?” Sky asked in a cautious voice, and Time carefully approached the cell when they received no answer, squinting through the low light. He reached the bars and peered through, and felt equal relief and horror rise in his chest.

A thin man, boy really, barely into his twenties at Time’s guess, stared at them, his face pale with dark lines etched onto his forehead. It was difficult to tell with the limited light, but Time could make out chains around both his neck and wrists, and blood, both dried and not, all over him.

“...Link?” he breathed, but the boy only closed his eyes.

“Here,” Four said quietly, him and the others having come up to Time’s side. He knelt at the lock on the door, holding some small metal rods, and a few moments later, had the door swinging open.

Time quickly took a step inside, but the boy bared his teeth in a snarl as he moved, something fierce and desperate in his eyes.

Time quickly stilled.

“Link?” he asked again, and the boy merely turned away, as much as he could with the way he was chained up.

“...Tricks are getting old,” he rasped, the same twang they’d encountered in Ordon coming through. “Could at least try somethin’ new.”

Time glanced at the others, and Sky made a helpless gesture.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Link,” Time said carefully, and the chained hero coughed out a laugh.

“That’s what they said last time. Always fake,” he rasped, and glared at Time, half-dried blood shining in the lantern light. “Not tricking me again.”

“We’re not a trick, we’re real,” Wild said sharply, moving to stand next to Time.

“You’re gettin’ way less creative,” Link rasped, eyes staring them dully. “Points for new characters... but that’s it.”

“But we’re really real, we’re here to get you out!” Sky said in disbelief.

The new Link only closed his eyes again. “Sure.”

They all looked at each other again, Time feeling helpless. He didn’t want to approach Link before he knew they were truly here to help him, but he thought they were just a trick. How could they convinced the broken hero they weren’t here to hurt him?

How many times has he extended trust to someone, and had it all been fake to react like this?

“Link, we’re here to help you,” Time tried again, extending a hand towards him. Link only bared his teeth again, and Time could see the slightly longer canines this time.

“Get away Shade,” he snapped, and Time stopped as he let out a wracking cough. “I’m not falling for it. Not again.”

“Link, is there anything we can do to convince you we’re real?” Four spoke up, and the hero stared at him.

He didn’t say anything for a long time, and Time almost wondered if he was purposely ignoring them.

“Kill me.”

Four took a step back. “What?”

“Kill me,” Link repeated, a thread of desperation leaking in to his abused voice. “The Shadow won’t, if you do then... I’ll know you’re not him.”

“But then you’ll be dead!” Sky said in horror, and Link let out a croaking laugh, that finished with a sound like a sob.

“I’m already not living.”

Four didn’t say anything, and Link looked away, his eyes closed against the lantern light.

“Old man? What now?” Wild asked in an unusually subdued voice, and Time took a deep breath, trying to ignore the metallic smell of blood that permeated the cell.

What now indeed?

“We spoke with Rusl before coming here,” Time said quietly, and the boy’s ears twitched in his direction. “And Ilia, and the mayor, and a boy named Talo and all sorts of people. Your whole village misses you, Link, they’ve been looking nonstop. The Queen has sent out countless missions, and the Resistance is working tirelessly to figure out what happened to you.”

“How... do you know all that?” Link whispered.

“Because we’re real,” Wild said as he stepped forward. “We spoke to all those people, not more than a week ago.”

“We’re other heroes like you,” Four continued, and Sky took his glove off, showing Link the triangles marked into his hand. He stared in shock. “This isn’t even all of us. We’re fighting to stop the Shadow who imprisoned you, who’s been ripping holes through time and empowering the monsters. We’re on your side.”

“We’re here to get you out,” Time finished, voice firm.

Link looked around at them all, something almost like hope in his eyes, and he swallowed, looking directly at Time.

“Tell me what Talo said.”

His voice trembled when he spoke.

“He said that if we find you, we should tell you that he expects make up days for all the sword lessons he’s missed,” Time said, and Link breathed out, closing his eyes again.

“Yeah. That’s him,” he whispered.

A weak laugh came from his throat, and Time stepped forward again, Link not stopping him. His eyes stayed closed as Time kneeled next to him, but his ears twitched as he listened to his steps.

“We’re here to get you out,” Time said softly, and placed a hand on Link’s shoulder.

Link jerked at the touch, and Time immediately removed his hand, but then Link looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

“Sorry, s-sorry it’s... it’s been...” he choked out, and Time carefully put his hand back on his shoulder, Link stiffening at the touch, but not pulling away.

Time carefully rubbed it as the others drew near, and Link swallowed, trembling slightly as they crouched beside him.

“You’re really heroes?” he whispered, and Sky nodded, a grieved look on his face.

“Every one of us.”

Four leaned closer then and studied the collar around his neck with a frown, carefully lifting the chain and studying it.

“Where’s the lock on these?” he asked in confusion.

“It’s magic,” Link rasped, seeming twice as exhausted now that he’d been convinced of their intentions. “Won’t come off.”

Sky stepped forward, a firm look on his face as he kneeled beside Link with the Master Sword in his hands.

“May I?” he asked, and Link’s eyes widened at the sword. He hesitated, then gave him a weak nod, and Sky moved into position.

Sky held the sword close to Link’s neck, Four carefully holding the chain steady, and he pulled, the Master Sword glowing and making the blood Link was coated in appear blue.

The collar suddenly lit up with runes, glowing an ugly red, and Link cried out, jerking like he’d been shocked.

“Hold him!” Sky shouted, and Time and Wild moved to hold Link’s head still while the Master Sword slowly cut through the chains. Link jerked at their touch, and let out a raspy scream as Sky cut halfway, blue sparks flying into the air.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” Wild repeated as he held Link’s head, almost like he was trying to reassure himself, and Link wailed, his voice giving out partway through from the strain.

Time held him still, ignoring the blood and dirt he was doubtlessly getting all over him, and ran a hand through his hair when he let out yet another cry.

Hold on Link, you’re almost out.

The Master Sword let out a brighter glow, and the chain fell with a clank, Link falling limp and trembling in Time’s lap. The runes faded, and Sky quickly moved to his wrists and cut through those as well, though the thinner chains didn’t take nearly as long to fall to the ground.

“It’s done,” Sky panted finally, and Link let out a whimper.

“We should tell the others,” Four said quietly. “And hopefully get out of here before the Shadow comes back.”

Wild nodded and pulled out his slate, and Time and Sky began easing Link up, his face drawn with pain. Time tried not to nudge any of the vast amount of injuries covering him, but it was nearly impossible with how many there were.

Not to mention the countless scars visible through the blood, and the dark marks marring his forehead...

Time breathed out, and then picked him up, his gauntlets giving him enough strength to easily lift Link. Though, he wasn’t entirely convinced he needed them, seeing how thin Link looked.

How long has he been here?

“Let’s get you home,” Sky said quietly, and they left the cell, Wild talking quietly to Wind on his slate.

“Thank you,” Link croaked, in a voice so faint Time barely heard it. Time guided his head to his shoulder in response, feeling a sharp pang as Link flinched, and he sped his steps.

We’re getting you out, Link.

You’re safe now.

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